RUSSIA ACTS AS GO-BETWEEN IN TURKEY’S RELATIONS WITH ARMENIA, ABDULLAH GUL THINKS
By Hakob Chakrian

AZG Armenian Daily
03/11/2006

Within the framework of the regular session of the Black Sea Economic
Cooperation in Moscow on Nov. 1, Turkish foreign minister Abdullah
Gul met his Russian counterpart Sergey Lavrov. At the end of the
meeting Gul pointed out to Russian foreign minister’s readiness
to act as a mediator in relations between Turkey and Armenia and
stated that Russia backs Turkey in its wish to settle the Cyprus
issue in the UN. "We think the Greeks’ strategy of transferring the
issue from the UN to the EU is unacceptable. In this respect Russia
backs our position. Meanwhile, president Putin and other responsible
Russian officials display resolution to contribute to development and
activation of trade relations with the ‘Turkish Republic of Northern
Cyprus’," Abdullah Gul stated.

Asked by a journalist, Turkish foreign minister said that they also
discussed the Armenian issue, and Lavrov showed interest in Turkey’s
proposal of a joint commission and expressed readiness to help in
setting it up.